Promoting Cotton Green Production in Shandong through Accelerating Simplified Cultivation Technique

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Technical Guidance Station for Cotton Production of Shandong Province, Jinan 250013, China

1 Introduction

In 2016, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issuedSeveralOpinionsonImplementingtheNewConceptofDevelopmentandAcceleratingAgriculturalModernizationtoAchievetheGoalofaWell-offSociety, to promote agricultural green development and agricultural sustainable development. Agricultural green development was included in the No. 1 document of central government for the first time. In response to the overall strategic plan of the central government, the Ministry of Agriculture launched the project of high yield and high efficient grain, cotton and oil and sugar crop production[1]. As the second largest cotton production province in China, Shandong Province is an important area for implementing cotton high yield and high efficient green production project. In the process of project implementation, Shandong focused on the promotion of simplified cultivation technique and established a high yield and high-efficient cotton green production technology system and industrial ecological model suitable for Shandong cotton production area.

2 General idea and basic connotation of high-efficient cotton green production

2.1GeneralideaThe high-efficient cotton green production is essentially different from the previous high yield cotton production. It is not "Old Wine in New Bottle". It is required to set up and implement innovative, coordinated, open, and sharing development concept, follow the development principle of high yield, high quality, high efficiency, ecology, and safety, deeply promote the supply front reform of cotton, and accelerate change of cotton production to high yield and high efficient green production. Taking science, advance, applicability and effectiveness as the technical standard, simplified cultivation technique as main point, and high yield and high efficient green production integrated application as the gripper, it is required to strengthen connection between industrial organizations, technical route and construction objectives, strengthen the connection between technical services and farmer application, connection between technology tackling and market and international development demands, integrate and extend the high yield and high efficient cotton green production mode, and build a number of technical application parks for high yield and high efficient cotton green production. With this general idea, it is intended to build new high yield and high efficient cotton green production demonstration base in Shandong Province, ensure the production enthusiasm of cotton growers, and provide technical support for stabilizing high efficient green production. Besides, Shandong Province should promote integrated development of cotton production, processing, distribution, and textile industry value chain expansion, improve the cotton production quality and market competitive power, and create practical experience, green production development mode, and new industry mode for supply front reform of cotton production in Shandong Province.

2.2SpecificconnotationHigh efficient green production includes green production and also includes high yield and high efficient cotton production. Green production: reduction and replacement of production inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural film, upgrade of cotton cropping system, resource-based utilization of cotton waste and by-products, to reduce the environmental pollution. High yield and high efficiency: raise the mechanization of cotton production in the whole process, reduce labor input, and greatly increase the production efficiency; cotton quality structure and industrial model should meet the internationalization requirements of the market, to realize considerable increase of cotton planting benefits.

3 Simplified cultivation technique for high yield and high efficient cotton production

Simplified cultivation technique is a systematic technical solution proposed by cotton expert Dong Hezhong for small production scale, low organizational level, complex management, low mechanization level, and many labors of cotton production[2-8]. This technique can save labor input, reduce the application of fertilizers and pesticides, and increase the cotton planting efficiency. It is an important technical approach to realize high yield and high efficient cotton green production. The technique mainly includes following contents.

3.1Selectingsuitablecottonvarietiesandhigh-qualitycoatedseedsWe selected cotton varieties with relatively compact plants, weak leaves and branches, few lateral buds, good early maturity, smooth boll opening, easy picking, and high quality, such as spring cotton varieties Lumianyan 28, K836, Lumianyan 37, Lu 6269, and short-season cotton varieties Lu 54 and Zhongmiansuo 64. Through chemical delinting, seed cleaning, and insect pests and diseases resistant seed coating treatment, the cotton seed had purity ≥95%; generally, the healthy seed rate should be ≥80% and the germination rate should be ≥80%; for single seed bunch planting, the healthy seed rate should be ≥90% and the germination rate should be ≥90%.

3.2FreeofseedlingthinningandfinalsinglingthroughmechanicalfinesowingSowing in fixed time, fixed amount, and fixed position: for one-crop-a-year cotton field, mechanical fine sowing is carried out during late April and the early May, fertilizers and pesticides are applied at the same time of sowing; sowing, fertilization, and herbicide spraying, and film covering are performed in one time. The seed use is 1-1.25 kg/mu. After germination, it is necessary to release seedlings, not thin out seedlings, and not make final singling, but keep all seedlings. For two-crop-a-year cotton field in southwest Shandong Province, transplantation is adopted, the seed use is 0.5 kg/mu, seed is sown in the early April, and seedlings are transplanted in the first ten days of May. For direct sowing cotton field after harvest of garlic, mechanical stubble-cleaning and fine sowing are carried out, and the seed use is about 1.5 kg/mu.

3.3ChemicalweedingandmechanicalintertillingAfter tilling, spray trifluralin 48% EC mixed with 40-45 kg water to one mu cotton field evenly, and then rake the soil level. After sowing, use 70-100 mL of 50% acetochlor EC mixed with 30-45 kg water or 100-120 mL 60% butachlor EC mixed with 40-45 kg water, spray onto the seed bed, and cover with the film. In the 2-4 true leaf period, conduct mechanical intertilling between rows; from the late June to the early July, conduct intertilling again, and uncover the film, apply the fertilizer, and conduct soil ridging.

3.4SimplifiedfertilizerapplicationoronetimefertilizerapplicationQuick-acting fertilizer is adopted, one base fertilizer and one topdressing. One mu of cotton field applies 7 kg N, 8 kg P2O5, and 14 kg K2O, and after flowering, topdress 8 kg pure N in one mu of cotton field. Alternatively, it is able to combine quick-acting fertilizer and controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer, apply the mixed fertilizer of 7 kg controlled-release N+7 kg of quick-acting N, 6-8 kg of P2O5, and 10-14 kg of K2O for one mu cotton field, apply at 10 cm below the sowing row during sowing, and topdressing is not needed.

3.5ProperlydenseplantingandchemicalpruningFor pure spring cotton with the harvest density of 5 000-6 000 plants/mu, conduct chemical control 3-4 times from the flower-bud appearing stage, and the final plant height is about 110 cm; in July 10 to July 15 of five days before normal top cutting, spray 5 g DPC onto the cotton leaves; ten days later, spray 7 g DPC onto the leaves to carry out chemical top cutting, or use mechanical top cutting to replace the manual top cutting, and pruning is not needed. For pure short season cotton with the harvest density of 6 000-7 000 plants/mu, conduct chemical control 4-5 times from the true leaf stage, and the final plant height is about 90 cm; in July 15 to July 20 of five days before normal top cutting, spray 4 g DPC onto the cotton leaves; ten days later, spray 6 g DPC onto the leaves to carry out chemical top cutting, or use mechanical top cutting to replace the manual top cutting, and pruning is not needed. For intercropping cotton with the harvest density of 2 000-2 500 plants/mu, conduct chemical control 2-3 times from the flower-bud appearing stage, and the final plant height is about 130 cm; keep the leaves and branches, remove top of leaves, branches and main stems.

3.6MechanicalplantprotectionandcentralizedcottoncollectionAccording to the occurrence of insect pests and prevention and control indicators, it is required to prevent insect pests in mechanical manner, and advocate unified prevention and control. When the boll opening rate reaches 60%, spray 50% thiabendazole wettable powder and 40% ethephon aqueous solution on leaves to accelerate the ripening; two weeks later, collect cotton in a centralized manner, and pick cotton again after 2-3 weeks. Where conditions permit, it is recommended to collect cotton by cotton collection machine in one time.

3.7Precautions(i) Fine soil preparation. Whole-seedling in one time of sowing is the core and foundation of simplified cultivation technique. It is required to return cotton straws to the field, conduct deep plowing before winter, level the land, and reduce the saline condition to keep soil moisture, and deep plowing or loosening of cotton field may be carried out one time every two or three years. (ii) In view of rotten cotton boll, early aging, and mechanical harvesting of cotton in the Yellow River Delta area, it is recommended to postpone the sowing period of spring cotton to the early May, and conduct "late, dense, and simplified" cultivation. (iii) For two-crop-a-year cotton field in southwest Shandong, it is recommended to change the intercropping cotton with garlic to direct sowing cotton field after harvest of garlic, and carry out mechanical stubble-cleaning and fine sowing as soon as possible.

4 Integration and application of relevant techniques with the simplified cotton cultivation technique as the main part

4.1ResearchofregionalcommontechniquesIn light of prominent problems in production, according to characteristics of ecological and natural resources in different cotton regions, it is recommended to undertake technical researches in accordance with actual local situations on the simplified cultivation principle. (i) Screening high-quality, multi-resistant, special-purpose, and widely adapted varieties. It is recommended to conduct centralized demonstration in the pilot area through selecting one to three varieties with high potential of bumper harvest and high resistance of insect pests and diseases according to local climatic conditions, soil foundation and farming system, and carry out adaptation test for varieties (lines) with development potential. (ii) Whole-process mechanical production technique. It is recommended to strengthen the introduction, screening, popularization and application of integrated sowing machines for cotton sowing, fertilizing, spraying and film covering, accelerating popularization and application of high efficient crop machinery such as self-propelled sprayer and unmanned plant protection machine, and strengthen the introduction, screening, popularization and application of new machines suitable for cotton harvesting. It is recommended to gradually solve the problems of much labor and high labor intensity in cotton production, and realize deep integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy. (iii) Green prevention and control technology for insect pests and diseases. It is recommended to carry out green prevention and control technology experiments for insect pests and diseases such as physical prevention and control and biological prevention and control, explore effective green prevention and control measures for cotton pests and diseases, reduce use of pesticide, improve the prevention and control effects, and reduce the agricultural pollution. (iv) Residual film pollution prevention and control technology. The experiment adopted film with the thickness greater than 0.01 mm. At the full bud stage, the film was recovered. At the same time, the film covering effect was excellent and the film can be degraded completely within the specified time, so it can eliminate white pollution at the same time of cotton growth.

4.2IntegrationandapplicationofgreentechnologiesIt is recommended to focus on simplified, mechanized, intensified, organizational, and socialized technologies, adjust planting structure, and popularize the intercropping mode such as cotton intercropping with grain, watermelon, vegetable, and forage grass. Besides, it is recommended to popularize precision sowing, water-saving irrigation, and fertilizer reduction technology focusing on efficient use of resources, and advocate the use of bio-organic fertilizer, high efficient and low toxic bio-pesticides, bio-physical control technologies and other alternative products and technologies; popularize deep plowing and loosening of cotton field, return cotton straws to field, and comprehensive use technology of fertilizer and matrix; popularize green ecological technologies such as biological degradation of film and residual film recovery. In addition, aiming at improving the production efficiency, it is recommended to demonstrate and popularize whole-process mechanized, smart, digitalized, Internet of Things, "Internet +" and comprehensive information service technologies. For three cotton areas in Shandong Province, southwest cotton area should focus on popularizing "fine, sparse, and simplified" cultivation technologies for insect-resistant hybrid cotton. Specifically, it should adopt "fine sowing, simplified seedling fostering, reasonable dense planting, simplified pruning, and proper delay of cotton stalk pulling", to reduce planting costs and labor intensity, increase labor efficiency and cotton planting benefits, and popularize direct sowing after harvest of garlic and short season cotton simplified cultivation technique. For northwest cotton area of Shandong Province, in cotton field with excellent heat and irrigation conditions, it is recommended to popularize cotton intercropping with wheat, sweet potato, melon, peanut, fruit trees, and bean crops; in areas with poor heat and irrigation conditions, it is recommended to extend early aging prevention and bumper harvest cultivation technologies, combine deep plowing with cotton straw returning to field, apply organic fertilizer to foster the fertility, properly delay the sowing, reasonably dense planting, promote boll setting through chemical control, and combine controlled-released fertilizer and quick-acting fertilizer, to ensure supply of nutrients, prevent early aging, and increase the per unit area yield and quality of cotton. For north cotton area of Shandong Province, on the basis of returning cotton straws to field, deep plowing or loosening, and reducing the saline condition to keep soil moisture, it is recommended to carry out mechanical precision sowing, reduce thinning out seedlings, properly delay the sowing, reasonably dense planting, promote boll setting through chemical control, and combine controlled-released fertilizer and quick-acting fertilizer, and implement mechanical harvesting in areas where condition permits.

In the demonstration area, it is recommended to support large cotton planting farmers, family farms, and farmer cooperatives, take socialized service as main mode, comprehensively promote unified production standards, unified supply of seeds, unified fertilizer use, unified pesticide use, and unified technical services, to realize fine field, fine seed, fine machinery, and fine system, improve organizational level of production, and implement standardized and large scale production. Driven by the radiation of the demonstration area, farmers are encourage to change conventional planting methods, reduce pesticide use, chemical fertilizer use, and seed use, increase the water and fertilizer utilization efficiency, and increase planting benefits. Through the training of technicians and farmers in the radiation area, advanced technologies can be widely promoted, and green planting concept gets rooted in the hearts of the people, so as to steadily expand the leading variety planting area and application of main technologies, and raise the scientific cotton planting level of the radiation area.

5 Building ecological industry mode with green and high efficiency as objectives

5.1MakingefforttocultivatenewbusinessentitiesIt is recommended to make effort to cultivate large cotton farmers, cultivate new business entities such as family farms, farmer cooperatives and agricultural production leading enterprises, explore regional, specialized, socialized agricultural technology extension service mode, and constantly raise the rate of application of simplified cotton cultivation technique and demonstration and driving capability of green and high efficient production[9].

5.2MakingefforttoimprovecottonqualityIt is recommended to make effort to improve cotton quality through orienting towards cotton industry and cotton consumption market demands. For example, it is feasible to screen suitable cotton varieties for middle and high end cotton textile enterprises, and apply and popularize high quality cotton varieties with fiber length and specific strengthen above 30. Besides, it is recommended to give prominence to standardized production, start from product standard, improve the standard system, improve the standard system, build a standardized demonstration base, improve the quality management system, implement large-scale regional planting of high quality varieties, and develop "one variety for one county" and "one variety for one town", and improve the consistency of cotton fiber quality. During harvesting and processing, cotton farmers may cooperate with cotton spinning enterprises and processing enterprises, advocate wearing of cotton-padded hat, cotton bag, implement separate picking, drying, storage, selling, and processing, and reduce the "three-silk" content. Through the implementation of various quality improvement measures, it is expected to improve the cotton quality and raise the integrated production benefits and competitiveness.

5.3MakingefforttocreatehighqualitycharacteristicbrandsIt is recommended to sign order contract with cotton spinning enterprises and processing and distribution enterprises through orienting towards market demands, and taking leading enterprises, family farms or professional cooperatives as drivers, realize order-oriented production, promote connection between production and sales and the industry, cultivate "six new kinds of products", and build "one variety for one county", "one variety for one town", "one variety for one village" or "one variety for one area", to realize high quality affordable price or ordered price and futures market operation, to form regional superior brand.

5.4MakingefforttodevelopnewindustryofcottonIt is recommended to put the market mechanism in the important position of guiding the cotton production. (i) In cotton varieties and technology research and development, it is required to change from orientation towards production to orientation towards market demands, actively explore the cotton development mode and business mode with highest efficiency through connecting cotton production, capitals, technologies, and resources, support cotton research and development institutions and new cotton production and operation entities, and cooperation with cotton spinning enterprises, promote combination of technologies with the industry and capitals, to realize scientific and technological achievements conforming to demands of cotton processing and textile enterprises, and raise the international competitive power of cotton products and cotton industry of Shandong Province. (ii) In the aspect of industrial integration, it is recommended to guide cotton spinning enterprises and processing enterprises to actively develop order production, e-commerce, Sino-foreign cooperation, cotton technology integrating area station, third-party cotton logistics enterprises, establish high efficient cotton production, supply, and sales system, reduce cotton production, market information asymmetry, reduce cotton logistics costs, and reduce influence of market fluctuations. According to the natural endowments and essential factors of cotton production, it is required to energetically develop "one product for one village" for cotton production, and "one industry for one township" for cotton production and operation, guide large cotton planting farmers, family farms, professional cooperatives to assist cotton processing enterprises, enter the cotton spot market and futures market, take full advantage of cotton insurance and cotton futures to promote integration of three industries, and develop "six new kinds of cotton products". Relying on scientific and technological innovation and institutional innovation, it is recommended to shift traditional cotton development mode to new market and international path, establish "production, processing, seedling cultivation, breeding, and popularization" + "production, universities and colleges, and research institutions" market-oriented cotton industrial integration mechanism, to increase the overall benefits of cotton production and raise the international competitiveness of cotton industry[10-13].

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